Stamps of the United States

These are some of the stamps published by the United States Postal Service, an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States and its territories, as well as its freely associated states.

1840s

Provisional stamps

• 
  Providence, RI
  5¢, 1846
  imperforate
• 
  Alexandria, D. C.,
  5¢, 1846
  imperforate
• 
  [[Alexandria
  "Blue Boy"]]
• 
  New York, NY]],
  5¢, 1845
  imperforate

• 
  St. Louis, MO
  5¢, 10¢, 1845; 20¢, 1846
  imperforate

1847 Issue

Imperforate. Printed by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson

• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 5¢
  Premier timbre des États-Unis (First US stamp)
• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 5¢
• 
  George Washington, 10¢

This was the first series of federally issued US postage stamps. They were issued under an act of congress on March 3, 1847 and first sold in New York City on July 1, 1847. (Ref. National Postal Museum archive copy at the Wayback Machine)

1850s

1851-57 Issue

Imperforate. Printed by Toppan, Carpenter, Chasilear & Co.

• 
  Benjamin Franklin
  1¢, Type II, 1851
• 
  Benjamin Franklin
  1¢, 1 Type II, 2 Type IVs, 1851
• 
  Benjamin Franklin
  1¢

• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1851, possibly from a cracked plate
• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1851, detail of previous
• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1851

• 
  Thomas Jefferson
  5¢, 1856
• 
  George Washington
  10¢, Type III, 1855
• 
  George Washington
  12¢, 1851

1857-61 Issue

Perforated 15. Printed by Toppan, Carpenter & Co.

• 
  George Washington
  3¢
• 
  George Washington
  3¢
• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1861

1860s

1861-66 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the National Bank Note Co.

• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1862
  revenue stamp
• 
  Andrew Jackson
  2¢, 1863, the "Black Jack"
• 
  Andrew Jackson
  2¢
• 
  Abraham Lincoln
  15¢ 1866

1867 Issue

Perforated 12 and grilled. Printed by the National Bank Note Co.

• 
  George Washington, 3¢
• 
  George Washington, 3¢
  with "F-grill"

1869 Issue

Perforated 12 and grilled. Printed by the National Bank Note Co.

1c Benjamin Franklin 1869 issue

2c Post rider 1869 issue

3c Locomotive 1869 issue

6c George Washington 1869 issue

10c Shield and eagle 1869 issue

12c Steam Ship S.S. “Adriatic" 1869 issue

15c Landing of Columbus Type I, 1869 issue

24c Declaration of Independence 1869 issue

30c Shield, eagle and flag 1869 issue

90c Abraham Lincoln 1869 issue

• 
  Locomotive, 3¢
• 
  3¢ with "G-grill"
• 
  Locomotive, 3¢
• 
  Landing of Columbus, 15¢

1870s

1870-71 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the National Bank Note Co.

• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 1¢
• 
  Andrew Jackson, 2¢
  (brown)
• 
  Andrew Jackson, 2¢
  (red)
• 
  George Washington, 3¢
• 
  George Washington, 3¢
• 
  Washington, 3¢ detail
• 
  Edwin M. Stanton, 7¢
• 
  Stanton, 7¢ (detail)
• 
  Thomas Jefferson, 10¢
• 
  Winfield Scott, 24¢
• 
  30¢ mute, Alexander Hamilton
• 
  30¢ unused
• 
  90¢ used, Oliver Hazard Perry

1873 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the Continental Bank Note Co.

• 
  George Washington, 3¢
• 
  George Washington, 3¢
  detail showing secret marks
• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1873
• 
  Washington, 3¢
  detail showing secret marks
• 
  Lincoln, 6¢ with location of secret marks
• 
  Edwin M. Stanton, 7¢
• 
  With location of secret marks
• 
  Edwin M. Stanton, 7¢
  detail showing secret marks
• 
  George Washington, 3¢
  U.S. War Dept. stamp

1879 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co. on soft porous paper.

• 
  Oliver Hazard Perry, 90¢

1880s

1881-82 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co.

1883 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co.

• 
  George Washington, 2¢

1887 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co.

• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 1¢
• 
  George Washington, 2¢

1890s

1890-93 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co.

• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 1¢
• 
  George Washington, 2¢
• 
  George Washington, 2¢
• 
  George Washington, 2¢
• 
  Ulysses S. Grant, 5¢
• 
  Daniel Webster, 10¢

1893 Columbian Exposition Commemoratives

World Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois
Perforated 12. Printed by the American Bank Note Co.

Unused stamps

1c Columbus in sight of land 1893 issue

2c Landing of Columus 1893 issue

3c Santa Maria 1893 issue

4c Fleet of Columbus 1893 issue

5c Columbus soliciting aid from Queen Isabella 1893 issue

6c Columbus welcomed at Barcelona 1893 issue

8c Columbus restored to favor 1893 issue

10c Columbus presenting natives 1893 issue

15c Columbus announcing his discovery 1893 issue

30c Columbus as La Rabida 1893 issue

50c Recall of Columbus 1893 issue

$1Queen Isabella pledging her jewels 1893 issue

$2 Columbus in chains 1893 issue

$3 Columbus describing his third voyage 1893 issue

$4 Queen Isabella and Columbus 1893 issue

$5 Columbus 1893 issue

Used stamps

Columbus in Sight of Land 1¢	Landing of Columbus 2¢	Landing of Columbus 2¢
Columbus Presenting Natives 10¢	Columbus Presenting Natives 10¢

1894 Issue

Perforated 12. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

• 
  Benjamin Franklin, 1¢, ultramarine
• 
  George Washington, 2¢, type III, pink
• 
  George Washington, 2¢, type III, carmine
• 
  Andrew Jackson, 3¢
• 
  James Garfield, 6¢
• 
  William T. Sherman, 8¢
• 
  Daniel Webster, 10¢

1895 Issue

Perforated 12 with double-line "USPS" watermarks. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Benjamin Franklin 1¢, blue	George Washington 2¢	William T. Sherman 5¢

1898 Issue

Perforated 12 with double-line watermark. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Benjamin Franklin 1¢, green	Abraham Lincoln 4¢	Ulysses S. Grant 5¢

1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition Commemoratives

1c Marquette on the Mississippi 1898 issue

2c Farming in the west 1898 issue

4c Indian hunting buffalo 1898 issue

5c Fremont on Rocky Mountains 1898 issue

8c Troops guarding wagon train 1898 issue

10c Puerto Rico election 1898 issue

50c Western mining prospector 1898 issue

$1 Western cattle in storm 1898 issue

$2 Mississippi River bridge 1898 issue

Father Jacques Marquette on the Mississippi, 1¢	Father Jacques Marquette on the Mississippi, 1¢	Farming in the West, 2¢
Fremont on the Rocky Mountains, 5¢	Troops Guarding Train, 8¢	Hardships of Emigration, 10¢
Western Cattle in Storm, $1.00 "Black Bull"	Flag cancellation mark on 2¢ stamp

1898 Revenue stamps

• 
  ½¢ revenue stamp
• 
  $1.00 revenue stamp

1900s-oughts

1901 Envelope

• 
  1¢, 1901
  Savannah-Mulhouse

1901 Pan-American Exposition Commemoratives

294. Fast Lake Navigation 1¢ (postcard rate)	295. Fast Express 2¢ (domestic letter rate)	296. Automobile 4¢	297. Bridge at Niagara Falls 5¢ (foreign rate)	298. Canal Locks at Sault de Ste Marie 8¢ (registry fee)	299. Fast Ocean Navigation 10¢

1902-03 Issue

300 — 1¢ Benjamin Franklin 02/1903	301 — 2¢ George Washington 01/1903	302 — 3¢ Andrew Jackson 02/1903	303 — 4¢ Ulysses S. Grant 02/1903	304 — 5¢ Abraham Lincoln 01/1903
307 — 10¢ Daniel Webster 02/1903	308 — 13¢ William Henry Harrison 11/1902	309 — 15¢ Henry Clay 05/1903	311 — $1.00 David Glasgow Farragut 11/1903

1903 Issue

319. George Washington 2¢ 11/1903

1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commemoratives

1c Robert Livingston 1903 issue

2c Thomas Jefferson 1903 issue

3c James Monroe 1903 issue

5c William McKinley 1903 issue

10c Map of Louisiana Purchase 1903 issue

Thomas Jefferson, 2¢

1907 Jamestown Exposition Commemoratives

1c John Smith 1907 issue

2c Jamestown founding 1907 issue

5c Pocahontas 1907 issue

Captain John Smith, 1¢	Pocahontas detail	Captain John Smith, 1¢	Powhatan detail	Founding of Jamestown, 2¢

1908-09 Issue

Benjamin Franklin 1¢	George Washington 2¢	George Washington 3¢	George Washington 15¢

Issues of 1908, 1 through 6-cents

Issues of 1908, 8 cents through 1 dollar

1908-10 Coil Stamps

• 
  George Washington
  1¢, 1908 series
  coil stamp

1909 Lincoln Memorial Commemoratives

• 
• 

1910s

• 
  Post Office Clerk
  1¢, 1913
  Parcel Post
• 
  Issue of 1912
• 
  George Washington
  2¢, 1914
• 
  George Washington
  3¢, 1917
  perf-10 line (2)

Parcel Post Stamps 1912-13

Further Washington-Franklin Issues

1912-14 series Washington 7c in black and Franklin with Oak leaves, 8c to 11c

1912-14 series, Franklin with Oak leaves, 12c to 50c

Franklin 1-Dollar Issued 1912

Franklin 11-cent Issued 1915

5-cent color error, 1916-17

1st / only Franklin 13c issue of 1919

The 'Big Bens' Issue of 1918

Franklin 2-dollar reprint issue of 1920

• 
  Curtiss JN4
  24¢, 1918
  "Inverted Jenny"
• 
  Curtiss Jenny
  24¢, 1918
• 
  Curtiss Jenny
  24¢, 1918
  "Fast Plane"
• 
  Comparison of normal and "Fast Plane" varieties

1913-1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition

• 
  1-cent Explorer Balboa
• 
  2-cent Pedro Miguel Locks, Panama Canal
• 
  5-cent "Golden Gate", San Francisco Bay
• 
  10-cent Spanish expedition to San Francisco Bay

1920s

Pilgrim Tercentenary Issue of 1920

1¢ “Mayflower" 1920 issue

2¢ Landing of the Pilgrims 1920 issue

5¢ Signing of the Compact 1920 issue

Huguenot-Walloon tercentenary Issue of 1924

1c Ship “Nieu Nederland" 1924 issue

2c Walloons landing at Fort Orange (Albany) 1924 issue

5c Jan Ribault Monument at Duval County FL 1924 issue

Lexington-Concord Issue of 1925

1c Washington at Cambridge 1924 issue

2c “Birth of Liberty” by Henry Sandman 1924 issue

5c “The Minute Man” by Daniel Chester French 1924 issue

Norse-American Issue of 1925

2c Sloop “Restaurationen" 1925 issue

5c Viking ship 1925 issue

Norse-American 5¢, 1925 Norse-American 5¢, detail

Aeronautics Conference Issue of 1928

2¢ Wright flyer 1928 issue

5¢ Monoplane 1928 issue

• 
  15¢, 1928
  Special Handling
• 
  James Garfield
  6¢, 1929
  cancelled "Kans."

1930s

• 
  2¢, 1930
  revenue stamp
• 
  Graf Zeppelin
  65¢, 1930
• 
  Mount Vernon
  1¢, 1936
• 
  6¢, 1936
  Souvenir Sheet of 4
• 
  George Washington
  2¢, 1938, precancelled
• 
  Martin Van Buren
  8¢, 1939

National Parks Issue of 1934

1c El Capitan Yosemite, California 1934 issue

2c Grand Canyon Arizona 1934 issue

3c Mount Ranier and Mirror Lake, Washington 1934 issue

4c Cliff Palace Mesa Verde Park, Colorado 1934 issue

5c Old Faithful Yellowstone, Wyoming 1934 issue

6c Crater Lake Oregon 1934 issue

7c Great Head Acadia Park, Maine 1934 issue

8c Great White Throne Zion Park, Utah 1934 issue

9c Mt. Rockwell and Two Medicine Lake Glacier National Park, Montana 1934 issue

10c Great Smokey Mountains North Carolina 1934 issue

Army Issue of 1936-1937

1c G. Washington, N. Greene Mount Vernon 1936-7 issue

2c A. Jackson, W. Scott The Hermitage 1936-7 issue

3c Grant, Sherman, Sheridan 1936-7 issue

4c R.E. Lee and T.J. Jackson Stratford Hall 1936-7 issue

5c U.S. Military Academy 1936-7 issue

Navy Issue of 1936-1937

1c J.P. Jones and J. Barry 1936-7 issue

2c S. Decatur and T. MacDonough 1936-7 issue

3c D. G. Farragut and D. D. Porter 1936-7 issue

4c Sampson, Dewey and Schley 1936-7 issue

5c U.S. Naval Academy 1936-7 issue

Territorial Issues of 1937

3c Kamehameha I, Honolulu Hawaii Territory 1937 issue

3c Mount McKinley Alaska Territory 1937 issue

3c La Fortaleza, San Juan, Puerto Rico 1937 issue

3c Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 1937 issue

Presidential Issues of 1938

1940s

• 
  10¢, 1941 Airmail
• 
  13¢, 1944, Special Delivery
• 
  Four Chaplains, 3¢, 1948 (stamp)
• 
  Four Chaplains, 3¢, 1948 (envelope)

Famous Americans Series, 1940

Overrun Countries Series, 1943-44

1950s

National capital sesquicentennial

3c Statue of Freedom Washington DC 1950 issue

3c The White House Washington DC 1950 issue

3c U.S. Supreme Court Building Washington DC 1950 issue

3c U.S. Capitol Building Washington DC 1950 issue

Wildlife conservation issues of 1956-7

3¢ Wild Turkey 1956 issue

3¢ Longpronged antelope 1956 issue

3¢ King salmon 1956 issue

3¢ Whooping crane 1957 issue

• 
  Newspaper Boys, 3¢, 1952 (4 stamps)
• 
  Thomas Jefferson, 2¢, coil (2 stamps)
• 
  Liberty, 3¢ , 1954
• 
  15¢, 1955, Certified Mail
• 
  3¢, 1956, Friendship - Key to World Peace.
• 
  US Flag, 4¢, 1957
• 
  United States postage stamp honoring Simon Bolivar (1958)

1960s

• 
  Camp Fire Girls, 4¢, 1960
• 
  Project Mercury, 4¢, 1962
• 
  Dag Hammarskjold, 4¢, 1962, inverted yellow
• 
  Robert H. Goddard, 1964
• 
  John F. Kennedy, 5¢, 1964
• 
  100 years Salvation Army, 5¢, 1965
• 
  Mary Cassatt, 5¢, 1966 (Mr. Zip in margin)
• 
  Washington, 5¢, 1966
• 
  Washington, 5¢, 1967 (updated drawing)
• 
  National Grange, 5¢, 1967
• 
  Oliver Wendell Holmes, 15¢, 1968
• 
  First Man on the Moon, 10¢, 1969, Air Mail
• 
  United States postage stamp honoring Amelia Earhart (1963)
• 
  US stamp honoring Johnny Appleseed
• 
  US stamp honoring Montgomery Blair

1970s

• 
  Edgar Lee Masters, 6¢, 1970
• 
  Save our Cities, Soil, Air, Water, 6¢, 1970
• 
  South Carolina, 6¢, 1970
• 
  LOVE Stamp, 8c, 1973, designed by Robert Indiana
• 
  Robert Frost, 10¢, 1974

American Bicentennial Issue: Flag Series, 1976

US local stamps

• 
  1845, Boyd's City Express 2¢ #20L4 (black on green)
• 
  1859, Brady & Co., New York, #22L1, Forgery D
• 
  1857, Clark & Co., New York, #46L1, Forgery C
• 
  1866, Hussey's Special Message Post. 10¢, #87LE2 (gold on green)
• 
  1877, Hussey's Special Message & Letter Post. Reprint. #87L56
• 
  1857, Price's City Express - Post 2c, #119L1 (black on red)
• 
  1857, Price's City Express - Post 2c, #119L2 (black on green)
• 
  1858, Price's City Express - Post 2c, #119L3 (black on green)
• 
  1851, Priest's Despatch, Paid (2¢) #121L3 (black on yellow) prob. forgery
• 
  1851, Priest's Despatch, Paid (2¢) #121L4 (black on rose) prob. forgery
• 
  1851, Priest's Despatch, Paid (2¢) #121L5 (black on blue) prob. forgery
• 
  1851, Priest's Despatch, Paid (2¢) #121L5 (black on blue) Forgery A
• 
  Pony Express 25¢,
  used at Virginia City

Other US stamp-related images

• 
  Première édition du catalogue Scott / 1st edition cover of the Scott catalog

Copyright status

English: Note that US stamp designs since 1978 are copyrighted, and the copyright is owned by the United States Postal Service. Therefore, these images are not in the public domain. Stamp designs published before the end of 1977 are all in the public domain in the United States. Stamps published after 1978 can only be used in Wikimedia sites under fair use, and therefore these stamps cannot be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, unless the United States Postal Service decides to allow it, release them under a free license or if they fall into the public domain.

Español: Tenga en cuenta que los diseños de sellos estadounidenses desde 1978 están protegidos por derechos de autor, propiedad del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos. Por lo tanto, estas imágenes no son de dominio público. Los diseños de sellos publicados antes de finales de 1977 son de dominio público en Estados Unidos. Los sellos publicados después de 1978 solo pueden usarse en sitios Wikimedia bajo el uso legítimo, por lo que no pueden subirse a Wikimedia Commons, a menos que el Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos lo permita, los publique bajo una licencia libre o pasen a ser de dominio público.

Português: Observe que os designs de selos dos EUA desde 1978 são protegidos por direitos autorais, e os direitos autorais pertencem ao Serviço Postal dos Estados Unidos. Portanto, essas imagens não são de domínio público. Os designs de selos publicados antes do final de 1977 são todos de domínio público nos Estados Unidos. Selos publicados após 1978 só podem ser usados ​​em sites da Wikimedia sob o regime de uso justo e, portanto, não podem ser carregados no Wikimedia Commons, a menos que o Serviço Postal dos Estados Unidos decida permitir, liberá-los sob uma licença gratuita ou se caírem em domínio público.

Français : Veuillez noter que les modèles de timbres américains depuis 1978 sont protégés par le droit d'auteur, détenu par le Service postal des États-Unis. Par conséquent, ces images ne sont pas dans le domaine public. Les modèles de timbres publiés avant fin 1977 sont tous dans le domaine public aux États-Unis. Les timbres publiés après 1978 ne peuvent être utilisés sur les sites Wikimedia que dans le cadre d'une utilisation équitable ; ils ne peuvent donc pas être téléchargés sur Wikimedia Commons, sauf si le Service postal des États-Unis l'autorise, les publie sous licence libre ou s'ils tombent dans le domaine public.

Italiano: Si prega di notare che i bozzetti di francobolli statunitensi dal 1978 sono protetti da copyright e che il copyright è di proprietà del Servizio Postale degli Stati Uniti. Pertanto, queste immagini non sono di pubblico dominio. I bozzetti di francobolli pubblicati prima della fine del 1977 sono tutti di pubblico dominio negli Stati Uniti. I francobolli pubblicati dopo il 1978 possono essere utilizzati nei siti Wikimedia solo in base al fair use e pertanto non possono essere caricati su Wikimedia Commons, a meno che il Servizio Postale degli Stati Uniti non decida di consentirlo, di rilasciarli con una licenza libera o di rientrare nel pubblico dominio.

Deutsch: Beachten Sie, dass US-Briefmarkendesigns seit 1978 urheberrechtlich geschützt sind und das Urheberrecht beim United States Postal Service liegt. Daher sind diese Bilder nicht gemeinfrei. Briefmarkendesigns, die vor Ende 1977 veröffentlicht wurden, sind in den Vereinigten Staaten alle gemeinfrei. Briefmarken, die nach 1978 veröffentlicht wurden, dürfen auf Wikimedia-Websites nur im Rahmen des Fair Use verwendet werden und dürfen daher nicht auf Wikimedia Commons hochgeladen werden, es sei denn, der United States Postal Service erlaubt dies, gibt sie unter einer freien Lizenz frei oder sie werden gemeinfrei.

See also

• Wikipedia:List of United States airmail stamps
• Stamp
• Stamp/Europe
• Stamp/America
• Stamp/Asia
• Stamp/Oceania
• USPS stamp copyright claim since 1978